Schneewittchen
by korotyshka
Summary: A young girl, an evil stepmother, and two hunters, retold.
1. Chapter 1

Ok so, first ever story I've ever published (not written lol). The idea came to me in a dream I had after watching the show and I finally summoned the balls to post. Will try to post a new chapter every week but I'm in grad school and I work full time so… anyways, yea. Please R&R! Hope you like it!

 **Chapter 1**

"Maedh!"

"It's Lily." It came out as a whisper, but that comment still got her ears boxed. After hundreds of years Rowena still had the senses of a fox.

"You ungrateful wretch!"

 _Hag_ Lily thought. She kept that to herself, though. Rowena was in a thunderous mood.

"Sorry, Mother."

"Pray tell, _why_ my supplies of mugwort and devil's shoestring _and_ cat bones are low?" Rowena's eyes smoldered with barely concealed rage. No. This would not end well for her.

"I-I- You asked me to scrub the floor yesterday and the day before that you locked me in the store room for – "

"I did not ask for excuses Maedh! What are your duties?"

"To clean and cook and assist in spells and -"

"And keep my supplies full! Now I canna complete this hex!"

"I'm sorry….I-"

"Go! Get out Get out!"

Maedh-no she refused to call herself that-dodged the various glass bottles thrown at her and ran out of the abandoned warehouse, neglecting her coat in her rush.

She hunched against the sheet of rain coming down regretting immediately her haste, and hurried about the city to gather the various ingredients Rowena required. Because of her wanted nature, and the fact that she stood out like a sore thumb in the gowns she refused to give up and red hair she cultivated because of her vanity, Rowena was unable to leave the warehouse most days, at least during the day. That left Lily to be errand-boy. The spell was simple, thankfully, and she wasn't being transmuted or teleported with dark magic to gather what was needed. It always left her with a migraine and a lingering desire for licorice. Today, all she needed was a little money and the ability to be meek and invisible; a talent that came naturally after years under Rowena. She also had a localized transportation amulet and a finder spell just in case. She learned the hard way Rowena did not care for excuses, however valid they might be, and to not return empty-handed when sent on an errand.

She gathered the various herbs from a naturopathic store and a New Age center respectively and then set out to find the bones. Technically, she could find and kill the cat herself, but she had no stomach for death of any kind. It had been harder and harder to hide this from Rowena, however, who used to have grand plans for her. But, as she informed Lily often, she was turning out to be quite the disappointment. Each day she shirked practicing actual dark magic was another day of beatings and dark closets and cages. Still, she'd rather scrub the floor until her fingers bled or catch pneumonia running errands than actually practice the heavy magic Rowena was so skilled at. Magic was all she had known for most of her life, but refusing a fate and a lifestyle thrust upon her was a modicum of control she could cling to in a whirlwind life of subservience and pain.

She was lost in her musings when all of a sudden the world tilted on its axis. She was momentarily disoriented, and her head meeting the pavement so rapidly made the ringing in her ears that had never quite dissipated from earlier come back at full volume. She felt disconnected from her body, as if she was floating. She was vaguely aware of someone shouting at her, hands rolling her over, pinning her to the wet pavement. She struggled weakly, her vision too blurred to see her assailant and her body too weak to do anything useful against the vice grip. Starvation and abuse tend to do that. The thought came from somewhere far away as she tried to clear her vision and reconnect her head with her body.

Slowly her vision returned and was filled with crystal-cut green.

"Where is the Codex? Talk!" The man behind the stormy eyes was shouting at her, shaking her roughly by the shoulders to punctuate his words, and she realized absentmindedly that he held a wicked knife against her throat.

"Dean, give her a minute. She looks like she's in shock" A second figure came into focus, towering over both her and her assailant, his long hair casting shadows on his strong chin. She focused her eyes on his sternum, rather than drown in the cold sea of green that was too close to her.

"No, Sammy." his voice was gravel and danger. She winced, flinching away from it. "I'm done waiting. With Charlie-"

He struggled, "I'm not feeling all that inclined to play nice."

"Hu-" Lily's voice came out a cross between a whimper and a cough. "Who are you?" She tried again. The man called Dean shook her.

"Uh-uh. You're not asking the questions, witch," he leaned in; "Where is the Codex. Where is Rowena?" At the mention of Mother, all of a sudden all of Lily's deadened senses came rushing back. The pain in her ears, the knife at her throat and the trickle of blood there, the cold, rough pavement at her back, the banging in her skull, her utter exhaustion and above all fear; fear of Rowena's displeasure with her at being caught and fear of the bear of a man kneeling above her with the crystal-cold eyes and tense, chiseled jaw that was clenched tight with anger. Her hands were trapped, so she had no defense against the tears that flooded out of her, but she squeezed her eyes shut against the scene above her and tried to prepare herself for death.

"Great, Dean. You're getting real far with that tactic." Dean said nothing in return but just growled in exasperation and stood up. At the sudden loss of the oven above her, Lily shivered and scrunched her body back until she hit the brick building behind her. It wasn't far enough. She warily regarded her assailants, who were currently between her and the way out of the alley.

The men muttered together before the angry one turned and stalked towards her. Lily thought about fighting back or screaming, but, after years with Rowena, all that escaped her was a whimper. She flinched away from the man and squeezed her eyes shut. She was roughly and suddenly hauled to her feet by her tangled mess of ebony hair, causing her to cry out in pain. She was back in the paralyzing hazel gaze of the bear.

"She's coming with us. My…stuff is at the bunker."

"Dean no, she's just-"

"She's a witch, Sam.

"She's still human!"

"Hardly," Dean snorted. "None of these dirty witches are, not once they've touched dark magic. Hell, she's 300 years old for all you know. She's in kahoots with that red-headed she-devil. And we need that information."

The conversation continued heatedly while Lily dangled on her toes, held too high by her hair. They were looking for Rowena, that much she had gathered, and something she had never heard of called a Code-Box. There were mentions of killing things, and the one named Sam was concerned about Dean. Then back to Rowena, more anger, Dean really hated witches. _But I'm not a witch_ she wanted to say. She was suddenly resolved.

"Please" she managed. They stopped talking and looked at her. "I-I-I" she paused to still her nervous stutter. "I'll take you to the warehouse" Her voice was a whisper and her eyes searched for any target other than the two massive men that literally held her life in their hands."I don't do magic, but Rowena is my- I'm her- acolyte…against my will!" she added when Dean's glare intensified and his hand in her hair tightened. "…and I can take you to her. But, please, she will kill me if-"

"ENOUGH!" roared Dean. He pulled her closer to him, her feet now dangling completely because of their height difference.

"Let me make this clear. You will die. I am going to kill you because you're a monster and I hunt monsters. If you're a good little witch and cooperate I _might_ give you a quick death. But you are going to die – No Sam let me finish – either way." Lily's eyes filled with tears and she missed Sam's exasperated glare at Dean. Lily was terrified, but she knew he was right. Even if they didn't kill her, Rowena certainly would for getting caught. She had beaten the importance of discretion into Lily, and in no uncertain words impressed upon her the consequences of jeopardizing her very mysterious task. And if Lily was honest, she would rather die by these strangers' hand than by Rowena's cruel one. She dropped her shoulders in defeat and nodded, head down.

"Good girl. Now. Take us to that ginger bitch."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lily wondered if it was possible for someone to die from fear. If not, she would be the first. Panic gripped her heart tighter than Dean's hand on her neck, and she was trembling uncontrollably.

The warehouse was empty.

Dean threw her onto the floor in front of him with a curse. She landed heavily, unable to catch herself because her hands were tied, and stayed down, physically and mentally exhausted. The journey to the warehouse had been nerve-wracking. Dean hadn't trusted her alone in the back of his car, even trussed up, and sat with her, his knife at her throat the whole time, making tiny cuts for every jostle and pothole in the road, while he yelled at Sam to drive better. Dean circled her now, like a barely-contained bull, a thunderous expression on his face as he ripped off his tie.

"Dean."

"No Sam. Now we do it my way"

Without warning his foot connected with her gut and the wind rushed out of her, taking a cry of pain with it. She was more than familiar with this song and dance, and braced herself for more. Instead, Dean pulled his hair through his hands, took a breath, and crouched next to her, gripping her neck and tilting her face so she was looking at him.

"Where is Rowena."

"I don't know!" Lily choked. "She was here this morning, I promise! She was mad because she had no black cat bones and she sent me out and then I met you guys and, and-" she gulped for air, "-now everything is...she's gone."

"Gone where." Dean's grip tightened.

"I don't know! I promise!"

"Where is the Codex."

"Where is what?" This earned her a backhand.

"Dean!"

"No please I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what's going on!" She was on the verge of blubbering and took a breath, trying to calm herself down. "Rowena never told me about her projects. I was beaten if I even asked questions I promise!"

Dean was pulled to his feet by Sam and they conferred in a corner while Lily curled into a tighter ball and contemplated her miserable existence. At least it was almost over. She closed her eyes, feeling darkness push at the edges of her vision, threatening to pull her into a sea of unconsciousness.

Dean walked back over to her and turned her head towards him with his foot.

"You and I are gonna go have a little chat," he said. And then all around her was sweet and peaceful black.

Dean bent over her to check she was unconscious and then slung her over his shoulder.

"Search the warehouse. Maybe Rowena left a clue."

"Dude, you need to chill out. She's just a kid. I mean look at her she's a waif."

"She's a witch Sam. I don't buy the innocent look. Rowena doesn't look like much of a threat either but, she's tried to kill us both multiple times. I'm not taking any chances." Dean kicked in a side door, peering through the darkness in search of something useful or incriminating.

"Dean, she's human! You slapped her across the face. You kicked her! Can we calm down on the bad cop routine? I mean-" Sam was brought up short by a small closet. A tatter of blankets lay on the floor, and a few dried flowers and faded drawings decorated the walls. The brothers shared a look and Dean cleared his throat.

"She's a witch, Sam. She's working with the she-devil. Guilty until proven innocent if you ask me." Dean turned on his heel and walked out towards the car. Sam lingered for a moment, his eyes taking in the details of the tiny room, before he followed. Outside, Dean dumped Lily's unconscious form on the backseat and slid behind the wheel, slamming the door of the Impala. Sam followed. There was a pause, and Dean added; "And we don't even know how much of her is even still human."

With that, he started the car and peeled out of the crumbling lot of the warehouse. Sam stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, letting the topic drop until they got home. Dean carried Lily into the makeshift dungeon, letting her body drop unceremoniously to the floor in the middle of multiple painted runes and wards. They both looked down at her unconscious form for a moment, studying their captive. She really was small, Dean thought, agreeing with Sam's earlier comment. Her skin was so pale white it was almost translucent, punctuated by a scar here and a bruise there, and smudged all over with dirt. It was made all the more stark a color when contrasted with her night-dark hair, plastered across her forehead because of the rain. Her lips were raw and red, as if she worried them between her teeth often. There were deep bags under her eyes and a red welt rising on the corner of her forehead from where Dean had knocked her out. Dean shoved the thoughts of her small form curled up in the closet that had come to him unbidden, shook himself from his reverie and set to work.

"Hand me those iron chains there, Sammy?" Sam obliged, looking pensive.

"Dean, I think we need to be united on this. Look, I'm not saying she's not evil, and if she's as bad as Rowena you can lock her in a hole for a thousand years for all I care, but we need to make sure. We're the good guys, remember? We don't go around torturing little girls without reason." Dean grunted a noncommittal reply as he locked the cuffs on the little witch, frowning at the space between the bonds and her wrists. He stood, and the brothers regarded each other silently for a moment. Finally, Dean shrugged, cracking a half smile.

"Whatever you say, Sammy. What do you say we find a beer or five until the witch wakes up." Sam rolled his eyes and the brothers clicked the door shut quietly behind them, reconciled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Lily woke with her arms locked in front of her with heavy chains. She was lying on a smooth cement floor in the middle of a windowless room; dark save for a sliver of light coming in under the door a ways ahead of her. She had a splitting headache and was chilled to the bone. She tried to stand, taking the heavy chains with her and was overcome with a wave of dizziness. She fell back to the floor with a loud clank. That, apparently, was the cue her captors were waiting for and she was startled suddenly by a slamming door and a blinding light. Dean stomped in, followed by Sam and the lights went on. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw her prison clearly. She was in a storage room of sorts, and the floor around her was covered in symbols she had never seen before.

Dean was rummaging around behind the shelves and came back with a small cart laden with knives and other odd things. Sam leaned against the far wall with a concerned frown on his face. Dean dragged her up by her chained wrists and hung them from a hook in the ceiling so her toes barely scraped the ground. This was not good.

"All right listen up." Dean was circling her like a shark, playing with a wicked looking knife carved in runes, "This is how our little game is gonna go. We ask questions. You answer questions. You don't cooperate, I don't like your answers, your ass gets a little taste of this." He gestured to the cart.

Lily's eyes widened in fear in spite of herself and she stared hard at the floor. Dean tilted her chin up with his knife so she was forced to meet his eyes.

"Do you understand me." None of Dean's questions sounded like questions; they were more like threats. Lily's voice felt broken, like her spirit. She nodded as best she could with the knife under her chin. Dean wasn't satisfied.

"Use your words, princess." Lily gulped and tried again.

"Ye- Yes…sir," she managed to whisper, adding the reverent title as a hasty attempt to get on the rough one's good side.

"Good. Let's get started." Sam stepped forward at this.

"Let's start at the beginning, something easy. What's your name?" Sam's voice was calm and steady.

"Um."

"You're not playing by the rules, sweetheart." Dean's voice came from somewhere outside of her periphery.

"It's in your best interest to be completely honest with us." Sam added. Lily let out a heavy, shaky sigh.

"I guess….I should start at the beginning." The brothers shared a look. Lily tried to start, choked back tears and attempted to steady her voice before beginning again; "Mother-I mean Rowena- calls me Maedh, but my name is Lily."

"Hold on. Mother?!" Dean's tone was incredulous. Lily stuttered, thrown off by the interruption and unsure of what to say.

"Let her finish" Lily looked between the brothers, then continued, unable to stop the torrent of words that came pouring out of her haltingly.

"Umm…anyways, That's what my mum named me…Lily. I guess Mum fancied herself a bit of a witch, at least that's what I'm told; she died when I was little. Ran afoul of Rowena, who took everything from her as punishment…uh…including me. Among other things like who was more powerful and all that, they fought over my dad, some insignificant rich guy, and it became a beauty competition. My dad picked Mum. As revenge and in anger because she lost, Rowena tricked my dad with magic. He killed Mum and then Rowena killed him for fun, but decided I should live because…well as she tells me 'I like someone to do the washing up'" Lily affected Rowena's lilting voice, and Sam fought to cover up a smirk. "I guess that would be me. I was four. Ever since then I've been Rowena's…well…stepdaughter or slave or whatever. She makes me call her Mother and hates me because I look like my mum, who won their little contest. I guess I'm a constant reminder of her age and her failure or something….she holds grudges for a really long time, learned that the hard way. Um so I clean and cook and recently she sends me out on terrible errands because she's afraid of getting caught or captured by somebody;" realization dawned on her suddenly and she looked up from the floor;

"Afraid of you I guess. Anyways she disappeared for a little while and left me chained up so I couldn't escape. I almost died. Turns out she was with her son. Never even told me she had one. She was different when she came back; cautious and secretive and treated me even worse than before. I get beaten for things I don't even do wrong now. At least before there was a reason. And she experiments on me, trying new spells. It's like torture;" She paused for a minute, trembling, unable to stop the flow of tears that wet her cheeks. She'd never gotten it all out in one go. "I- I hate her."

The last bit she whispered, choking back the sob of release that threatened to follow.

"Why did you stay." Sam's voice was steady.

"I-I don't know really. She said she would kill me if I ever ran away or talked. I've seen her kill people. She can make it last days…and, well I didn't have anyone else."

She trailed off, still staring at the floor. Sam looked at Dean meaningfully. Dean pushed himself off the wall where he had been listening in the shadows.

"How old are you." Dean's tone was hard and suspicious.

"Um…17? I think. I don't celebrate my birthday but-"

"No how old are you really." Lily balked at the question for a moment, unsure of what he was fishing for.

"I-I- I'm not like Rowena!" Lily fought to keep her voice calm. "My mum was old like her but I don't do magic. My birth was accidental and unwanted…so Rowena tells me. I mean witches don't like to be bothered with kids I guess so…"

"Bullshit." Lily felt something dangerous rising in her at Dean's comment.

"Do you really think Rowena would let me alter my appearance? God forbid anyone is more beautiful or powerful than her." She scoffed, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "I wasn't even allowed to hide my cuts and bruises."

"I want to know about the magic." Dean's gravelly voice punctuated the silence.

"I…I don't understand"

"Wrong answer, princess." Dean spit the last word like it was poison and started circling her again slowly, his boots making echoes in the room. Sam coughed purposefully from the side.

"What Dean is asking is-"

"What magic?!" Lily leaned forward, grey eyes flashing, and chest heaving from all the sobs she had shoved back down. She was worked up now, this is what always got her in trouble with Rowena. This was the thing that got her beat, but she couldn't stop. "I-I- I don't practice magic! I refused! R-R- Rowena practiced ON me. She scarred me in ways that c-c-cannot be healed a-a-and did it with a smile! I didn't to go to s-s-school, or make f-f-friends. And after all that, sh-sh-she's the only family I ever had and she j-j-just left me! Left me to rot and die twice! I-I-I don't want to be like her! I would rather die than be like her! I hate magic and her and everything!"

The wind suddenly left her sails and she sagged against the chains, quietly crying. All her futile attempts at morality. Letting animals out of their cages and getting beaten for it. Refusing to kill even a cockroach. She was still tainted by Rowena and by her past. And she would die for it, she felt it with certainty and a deadened peace washed over her.

"We found amulets and various other things on you when we- when you were knocked out." Sam's voice was even and neutral, trying to coax answers out of her. Lily's voice came out of her flattened and defeated. She listed everything with detachment.

"Trackers, so she knew where I was. Finder spells for ingredients. Quick transport within the local area, for running errands. Herbs she sent me to buy." Dean and Sam muttered together for a moment. Lily heard "Iron" and "truth" but made no effort to listen any closer.

"Convenient, to say you don't do magic while you're chained with iron so you can't prove it." It was an accusation from Dean, but his tone was quieter than before. Lily didn't answer right away and didn't look up.

"I used to be so concerned with survival when Rowena had me. I thought, when the time came, that I would be afraid to die," She glanced at Dean out of the corner of her eye and continued quietly; "But I'm not anymore. I think it will be a long nap that never ends, which sounds ok, actually…"

The silence settled over her like a blanket, warm and soothing rather than awkward. Soon that's all there would be. It might be nice to have quiet finally.

"Lily," Sam's voice flowed over her, gentle, "you aren't going to die. We're just-"

"No I get it. I'm a potential threat. You have no reason to trust me and I've no way to prove my point." She let out a shaky sigh and looked up, at Sam first and then Dean, forcing herself to hold his gaze. "You know, I'd rather die here, with you, than with her. I've never met anyone that wasn't…you care about each other. I can tell. And you've been kinder to me than she ever was-"

Lily looked up at Sam, "and, well I'm a stranger; a prisoner. I-"

Lily dropped her gaze, spent completely, and waited for the end.

"Enough." Dean walked up to her and unhooked her from the ceiling. She dropped to the floor immediately, unable to hold herself up. Dean caught her just as she fell, lowering her so she didn't hit against the cement. He walked around a shelf and returned with keys and rope. "Ok, listen up. Against my better judgement I'm gonna unlock you."

Lily gasped and looked up from the floor, not expecting that particular plot twist.

"Not so fast. You're gonna get nice and comfy in here until I'm convinced of your innocence. You'll still be tied, but the rope shouldn't chafe as much as the cuffs." Dean knelt next to her and unlocked the heavy chains. Then he tied Lily's wrists, not uncomfortably, together with the rope, let out a long tether, and tied that to the hook in the ceiling. It acted like a leash. She could move around comfortably, but not far enough to reach the shelves or the door. When he finished, he stepped back to observe his handiwork. "Sam and I are trusting you at your word. Do you think you can keep out of trouble while we figure out what to do with you?"

Lily nodded vigorously; "Yes, sir." She added in a whisper, remembering his reaction to her wordless replies earlier.

"Good girl." They both turned, clicked the light and left, leaving her in darkness. Once they were gone Lily lay down on the floor, careful of her scratches and bruises, and cried herself into an exhausted sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys! So these chapters looked way longer on my computer and I'm working on writing more per chapter break. Keep in mind these are all un-beta'd so bear with any mistakes. I've read through them multiple times myself but still… anyways, enjoy!_

 **Chapter 4**

Lily woke up starving. She hadn't eaten for at least two days, because Rowena had punished her by taking her food away and then she had gotten kidnapped. She ran her fingers through her tangled black hair in an attempt to comb it. Her head felt fuzzy…she was probably getting sick after spending all night in her wet clothes. Not good. At Rowena's she knew how to mix a tea that relieved her symptoms but here she didn't dare ask for herbs, lest they think she was secretly trying to work a spell. She peered through the darkness and set about exploring the lengths of her leash. She couldn't get very far, but felt her way to what appeared to be a bathroom in the far corner that she could just reach. She took a drink from the sink and splashed her face. It was too dark to see anything, but she was sure she looked like death warmed up, not that it was anything new. Rowena liked when she looked like a half-drowned rat, and at the moment she certainly felt like one.

Her day passed uneventfully. She lay on the floor dreaming up alternate realities with food or warm blankets, not having much energy to move around. She had no sense of time, but sometime in the middle of her "day" her captors made an appearance with food. Cold pizza on a paper plate, was there anything so heavenly in this world? She picked off the meat and scarfed down the rest. When they came to get the garbage and check on her, Dean raised an eyebrow at the pepperoni, but they said nothing and she was shut up in darkness again.

She slept on and off, trying to get up and walk in circles for exercise every once and a while and drink water from the sink. Sam came back once more, with a blanket and an apple. She savored every last bite and left only the stem and seeds. Dean came back once too, with gummy worms of all things. She accepted the bag shyly and whispered "Thank you."

Dean just nodded and shut the door.

And so it repeated. For four long sleeps. The boys came less, leaving more food that she portioned out. They got the hint that she didn't eat meat, and it endeared her to them despite the knowledge that they were holding her captive. She always said hello and thank you politely, and had even dared to ask Sam how much longer she would have to stay.

"I know you must feel restless-"

"No no! I don't want to seem ungrateful! You have both been so kind to me…" Sam winced a little at that statement. "I just, wanted to make sure he- everyone is happy with me. That I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

"Don't worry, Lily;" she warmed at his mention of her name, "it will be over soon I promise."

On the seventh day, she noticed something lying on the edge of her leashed zone in the light from the doorway before Sam left. She ignored it for a while, but, now that she was regaining some of her strength, she was getting more and more restless. Finally, she hesitantly decided to explore the little bag's contents, feeling around with her fingers until she found it just within reach and pulled it closer. Searching inside blindly, she suddenly recoiled in horror. It was a spell bag; a bowl, herbs, bones: everything she would need to make a spell. She threw it away from her, trembling, tears threatening to spill over and pushed herself as far to the opposite side of the room as possible. This was it. She had ruined it. If they discovered she had touched their things; things that could make a spell. Things like that in her hands, someone they thought was a witch. Everything was ruined. She couldn't lie to them though. She was more well-fed and tended than she had ever been in her life, she didn't want to lie like she always lied to Rowena. They were different. She stayed huddled on the opposite side of the room until she fell into a restless asleep.

She awoke untied.

Lily worked herself into a panic almost immediately. Surely they would come in and think she was escaping. How did this happen? It was because I touched the spell bag she thought, but even as it came to her she shook her head. The spell was not assembled; it was simply a bag of ingredients. Her life seemed to be one big episode of 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'. This was just perfect. She had free access of the whole room, which was another dangerous accusation that could be levied against her, maybe even worse than escaping was being accused of doing magic. _Maybe if I knock on the door and let them know I'm not escaping._ It seemed like her best option. She crept to the door and tapped it, nervous. No answer. She tried the handle, it gave without a sound and the door slid open. Lily peered out in the hall, on the verge of tears. There was no one there.

She backed into the room, tripping over her blanket and falling hard on her butt. She began to cry. Sam might stop to listen but Dean wouldn't believe her. She had broken his trust. The trust she wanted so badly to build. He had given her a half smile yesterday when she thanked him. The thought made her cry harder. _Maybe if I appeal to Sam_ …but it was no use. The brothers-for it had become clear to her that's what connected them-were a united front against her. She buried her face in her hands. She had never cared about what Rowena thought of her. Feared her wrath and boredom, yes, but never made any whole hearted attempts to please her. Not since she was a child. But the brothers were different and everything was spoiled. She began to cry anew and went to throw herself down on her blanket when she felt the rough edge of the rope. The rope! Maybe she could retie herself! The thought was a buoy in the sea of despair that she was drowning in, and she fumbled to tie her hands together. Even without being able to see, she knew it wasn't a very convincing job. She was debating her options when the door opened, the light silhouetting both brothers' striking figures in the doorway. The light flickered on and they took in her kneeling figure, arms together and held out as if she was praying, the tangled and clearly loose rope and her tear-streaked face.

"Well." Dean's face and voice were inscrutable, and Lily burst into a torrent of words and tears at the sight of him and Sam.

"Please it just- I woke up and the rope was undone. I didn't untie it I swear! I j-j-just opened the door to look for you I wasn't trying to escape I don't know what h-h-happened. L-l-look I tried to redo it…I-and the bag! I didn't know what it w-w-was…I didn't mean to touch that stuff! I threw it aw-w-way…I-" her words broke down into incomprehensible sobbing. "I'm s-s-sorry!"

She said it over and over like a mantra, not daring to look up at the faces that she was sure would be etched with disappointment. She was so focused on the ground she jumped when Dean's hands were suddenly on hers, slowly untangling the rope from her hands and Sam's voice was in her ear:

"Lily, sshhh, you passed the test." She couldn't respond, only lean into Dean's arms and bury her face in his chest as he lifted her easily off the floor and carried her out of her erstwhile prison.

Dean carried her down hallways she didn't try to keep track of before stopping in a central room that was, to Lily, the most opulent space she had ever been in. The room gave off an old-world feel and at its center was a large table and chairs. The table was strewn with beer cans, old pizza boxes and books. Dean set her down on one of the chairs and sat across from her. Sam sat next to him and they both regarded her with kind eyes.

"Lily." It was the first time Dean had said her name. It came out low and gravelly, but warm like a blanket at the same time. Her heart soared. This must be what family felt like. "We- _I_ want to apologize. For…in the alley and for keeping you. We just had to make sure you weren't lying. We don't have the best track record with witches."

"We're sorry for testing you. We just had to be sure." The brothers waited. Lily looked down at her knees, blushing from the attention.

"It's fine. I understand." Sam stood, and picked up a bag from under the table.

"I didn't know your size, but these should fit you well enough, and they're clean. There's a coat in there too, it's chilly out. You can have a shower here before you go" Lily took the bag silently, confused. "There's food in there too. Enough for a week. And there's a cellphone, in case you ever need us. Dean will drive you anywhere you want."

"I - what?" Lily felt her stomach fall out.

"You're free to go" Dean stood. "We're sorry about keeping you so long. We _are_ the good guys, we promise."

Sam smiled but Lily was trembling. This was it. They were getting rid of her. She didn't have any useful information and they were cutting her loose. Rowena would find her and-

"Lily?"

"Please. Please don't kick me out. I- I don't have anyone. I'll be good I promise! I can cook and clean. I don't eat much and I can sleep in the shelf-room. I won't be a bother, I promise. Please." Lily took a shaky breath. "Please don't send me away. Rowena will find me. She- I can't-"

Lily choked.

"I can't go back to her. Not after….no one has ever been so kind to me before." She didn't dare look up. To her shame, she was crying again. Rowena never let her cry, it was weak and pathetic. Dean and Sam probably thought she was such a joke. They would never let her stay. Without another word, she gathered the bag of things they had given her and stood, turning to go. Sam caught her wrist.

"Wait. Just wait here. There's some pizza in that box there. Dean and I will be right back." Dean's brow was furrowed and Sam's head was stooped in thought. Lily felt guilt wash over her. How dare she ask to stay. How dare she ask more of them. She was practically their enemy, of course that wasn't an option. What if Rowena found her here? They would both be in danger and it would be her fault. She needed to suck it up and leave them be. They had done enough. She waited until they went into the adjoining room and made her plan. She left the clothes folded on the table; she didn't deserve them; but took the food. There were no windows anywhere, so she assumed they were underground, and saw a large spiraling staircase directly across the way. Looking around one more time, she scribbled a hasty note, and then, hearing rising voices, hurried as quietly as she could up the stairs and out.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! A few things: One, this chapter is so un-beta'd it's ridiculous. I've run through it like ten times but my dialogue tags are a little iffy. No flames?_

 _Also, I wrote the first seven chapters of this before I even started posting, so the story will not reflect the newest episode (11x08) and might not reflect next week's either right away depending on how much writing I get done. It will though at some point, though (hopefully)._

 _Another side effect of me having written ahead is this chapter is still really short. I am remedying that as I write but…bear with me._

 _Also a massive thanks and a slice of pie for RangerHorseTug who left me my first review ever! :D_

 _Ok without further ado…_

 **Chapter 5**

"Don't tell me you're actually considering this!"

"You heard her, Dean. She has no one and nowhere to go. At the very least we'd be releasing her back to Rowena but, with Amara out there…"

"But have her stay here? I still don't trust her Sam, not enough to live with her. She grew up with Rowena as her mom. I mean, look how Crowley turned out."

"Dean, she doesn't even eat meat, you seriously think she's capable of hurting us or someone else? With Charlie gone…maybe she knows enough about magic-"

"No. if she stays, she has no involvement in hunting."

"Oh, so now you care about her."

"I don't trust her."

"What more does the kid have to do?" The conversation lulled, and Sam ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "You saw that closet at the warehouse, same as I did, Dean. If she's telling the truth…"

Dean's gaze softened a bit. "If, and that's a big if, she's telling the truth, then I have even more reason to hunt Rowena down and put her out of business."

"So she can stay."

An image of Lily huddled on the floor with the rope around her wrists flashed through Dean's mind and he added it to the pile of things he needed to atone for. "I'm not completely heartless, Sam. If she has nowhere to go she can stay until we figure things out. We just need to witch-proof the Bat Cave."

Sam laughed and, argument over, the brothers made their way back to the table.

"Well, shit."

"Dean she took the food, she can't have gotten far."

"Left her jacket though, stupid girl." Dean picked up the scrap of paper covered with a careful but shaky scrawl and read it aloud.

 _Dear Dean and Sam,_

 _I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked to stay. I'm not mad you kept me locked up, it was what you had to do. Thank you for the food, and for feeding me and being nicer to me than you had to. I'm sorry about what Mother took from you and I hope you find it and kick her ass._

Sam snorted and Dean raised an eyebrow before continuing:

 _I'm good at making myself disappear, don't worry. And I won't say anything to her about the bunker, I want you guys to win._

 _~Lily_

Dean stopped reading and stared at Sam.

"You weren't super welcoming, you know." Dean resisted the urge to flinch and frowned instead. "Does this convince you?"

Dean didn't answer the pointed question and grabbed his jacket instead. "She'll never survive on her own, it's freezing out. Let's go."

Sam followed suite and they went out to the car, Dean grumbling all the way.

Once outside, Lily squinted in the sudden sunlight and looked around. She was in the middle of nowhere. Behind her was a large abandoned factory-like building rising up from the door she had exited. It dawned on her that it must be part of the bunker, as they called it. She turned away and started walking down the road, head hung and arms wrapped around herself. Dean had been right, it was getting cold.

As she walked, she decided she would be honest when Rowena found her. She would tell Mother that she had sold her out to the Winchesters happily and Rowena would kill her. It would be painful but then it would be over and she would be free.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a roaring sound, like a lion was after her. _It's Rowena already!_ She couldn't be found yet, she suddenly realized. She was too close to the bunker still! Her heart leapt into her throat and she scrambled into the brush on the side of the road. The roaring stopped next to her hiding spot and she held her breath, praying to all the gods that be to keep her hidden from whatever was out there. Rowena had been keeping a rough crowd recently.

Heavy footfalls sounded in the gravel road and she covered her mouth to hide her breathing. Suddenly, a hand collared her tattered shirt and she was yanked out of the bushes and brought face-to-face with a scowling Dean.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing." Lily flinched and looked away. "Look at me!"

Behind Dean stood Sam, arms crossed and a similar frown on his face. No support there.

"Uh…well I…was just leaving?" she squeaked. The brothers' faces remained impassive. "I shouldn't have asked to stay, I'm sorry. I'll be fine. I didn't want…to…burden you? I left you a note…"

Dean's scowl had deepened as she spoke, and she finally broke off, avoiding his gaze. Sam spoke next, breaking the tense silence. He placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her towards him.

"Lily, you can't just go off on your own. Rowena, surprisingly, is not even breaking the top three of our to-do list. There are dangerous things out here. You could get hurt."

"So?" The word fell out of her before she could stop herself. Dean spun her back around.

"So, you're still our responsibility when you're under our roof! Wandering off was reckless and stupid. This little stunt is not making me trust you any more than I already do." Lily winced away from him at the harshness of his tone and Dean stopped and tried again. "Look, I know we came off as the Big Bad, but- help me out here, Sam."

"We care about you Lily, we do."

"And that's why we're pissed off. If you think-"

"Dean," Sam gestured at her shivering form.

"We'll continue this back at the bunker. If you're gonna stay, we're gonna need to go over a few ground rules, princess." Dean opened the car door and waited to help her in, but Lily was rooted to the spot, chewing his words over.

"Stay?"

"Yes, stay. Now get in before you die of pneu-"

Dean was cut off by Lily, who had flung her arms around his waist, the only thing she could reach, and was clinging to him.

"Thank you. Thank you." She said it on repeat, still in disbelief, almost afraid she would wake up back in the rat-infested hole at the warehouse. Dean stood frozen for a moment, making eye contact with Sam, who shrugged, before he lowered his arms awkwardly around her, smoothing one hand down her hair.

"It's ok, you're welcome." Dean's voice was gruff, but not unkind. "Now come on. Get in the car before you freeze to death." Lily complied, but not before hugging Sam and repeating the process.

They rode back, the radio set to rock and Dean and Sam bickering good-naturedly in the front; something about Dean farting on Sam's pillow when Sam was away. Lily basked in the glow of their voices. She had made it. She had found a family and a home and it was more than any of the fantasies she had ever dreamed up. She was finally home.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey Loveys! Here's the next installment. The next few chapters are going to be really involved with life at the bunker, since I can't really further my plot until I see the mid-season finale. If you review Dean will give you a ride in the Impala! Also, I know Dean is standoffish but that's going to be developed. This is NOT a Dean-bash fic (bcilovehim). Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 6**

When they got back to the bunker, Sam and Dean sat Lily down, wrapped her in a blanket, made her some soup ("Since when do we have soup?") and got right down to the ground-rules.

"Ok. Listen up. No magic, number one. No running off, number two. Number three, you do what we tell you, no questions. We have a dangerous job, we don't always have time to explain ourselves. You cook, you clean, you help us out with our Rowena problem, and we give you a place to stay and protection. Got it?" Dean had been pacing back and forth in front of her chair like a professor giving a lecture, hands clasped behind his back, but now he turned and faced her, waiting for an answer. Lily nodded and Dean cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, sir." She amended. Dean stepped aside and Sam took his place.

"Until we can figure out how to enroll you in school without raising suspicion, I'll be teaching you here. This is not optional. You'll have homework and tests just as if you were in school. Ok?" Lily nodded, biting her lip. "In addition-"

"Uh..Mr. uh Sam sir?" Lily's voice was shy, and she half raised her hand as she interrupted. Sam chuckled at the title.

"Just Sam, Lily."

"Oh…sorry. Umm well..will I really be going to school?"

Dean stepped forward before Sam could answer; "Are you really fighting us on this already? Because I just got done saying you do what we say."

Lily's face fell at his reproach and she stuttered, trying to answer quickly. "N-n-no! I'm not.. I just. I've never been to school. I'd really like to go."

Sam looked flabbergasted and Dean stepped back from his aggressive stance, shocked. "Never been to school?"

"Rowena never let me. She taught me to read and write so I could help her with spells and basic numbers and math so I could run errands. I mostly just did a lot of reading in the library when she would send me out. But I'm not stupid! I taught myself lots of things!" She said the last bit vehemently, glaring at her shoes. "But…I would really like to go."

Sam and Dean had recovered by the end of her admission and Sam stepped close to her, his voice neutral and friendly. "Of course you're not stupid, I'll just do some testing and figure out where you are and then we'll find a way to get you into school, ok?"

Lily nodded, mollified.

"Ok, let's get your stuff and find you a room."

Lily looked up, surprised. "I'm not going to sleep in the storage room?"

"Of course not." Dean's voice was gruff and his jaw was tight, "Sam give her the tour, I've got stuff to do."

Sam nodded, frowning. He walked over to Dean and quietly asked him if he was ok.

"No. Never been to school. I'm gonna kill Rowena, first chance I get."

Sam smiled, shaking his head

"What? What's so funny?"

"Sure you don't care." And with that, Sam walked back to Lily and helped her get her stuff together. They walked down the winding halls, Sam pointing out the kitchen and library and various other rooms, explaining what she would need to clean and what she needed to stay out of. Lily recognized the storage room and hurried past it, hoping Sam wouldn't change his mind about her sleeping in a bed. Finally they arrived at a long hallway with doors all along the length.

"This is your room. Dean's is down there, second door, and mine is up that way, third door on the other side." Sam opened the door and led her into her bedroom. Lily looked around at her new home. A simple twin bed sat in the center, flanked by shelves on either side. The blanket was spare but durable, and the mattress looked luxurious compared to what she was used to. There was a plain, flat weave rug on the floor and off to the side a door led to a vintage bathroom tiled in white with black accents. "It's not much but the bed is clean and the bathroom works."

Lily was almost lost for words. She had never had her own anything and now all this space was hers. "I think it's the most amazing room I've ever been in!"

Sam laughed and rested his hand briefly on her shoulder, "I'm glad you like it. Need anything?"

Lily shook her head and whispered another thank you. "I'll let you get settled then. Meet back in the main room in a few hours, ok?"

Sam turned to leave, but Lily's soft voice stopped him. "Sam? Is…is Dean mad at me?"

Her face was so concerned that Sam's heart broke. "No, Lily. He's just- We're both surprised you haven't been to school. He's…upset with Rowena and this isn't helping her case."

"Don't worry." Dean's voice in the doorway startled both of them. His face was inscrutable but his voice had tightness in it, as if he was barely containing himself. "Rowena will never hurt you again. She'll have to go through us."

Lily blushed and, embarrassed, turned around to busy herself unpacking.

"Ok well, we'll let you get to it" Sam and Dean exited and closed the door behind them, leaving her alone in the room. She slowly circled the space, touching a light here, trailing a finger down a shelf there, before lying down on the bed and sighing in happiness. Never in her lifetime did she ever believe she could be this content. A room of her own, good food, new clothes, and best of all, a family. She knew Sam and Dean were close, but she couldn't help but hope that she could become a part of that; that there might be a place for her in their hearts. The thought of Dean's mistrustful scowl came unbidden to her mind. She wanted his approval more than anything. She resolved to be on her absolute best behavior. She would make amazing food and everything would be spotless. She would do all the laundry and listen to everything he said and get A's on all her work. Everything would be perfect.

Lily lay there for a long time, daydreaming about her new life, until she fell asleep. She was awoken by a knock on the door, followed by the sounding of the latch. "What happened to meeting in the great room?"

It was Dean's gruff voice and she scrambled to sit up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Sorry…I didn't mean to fall asleep. I'm coming"

"No- it's fine," his tone was not unkind, even though there was always that underlying roughness. "Just wanted to make sure everything was uh…all right."

"Oh yea, thanks. This is…amazing. You guys have been so nice to me, I- can't thank you enough." Dean cleared his throat but didn't say anything, holding the door open for her and gesturing towards the hall. They walked side by side silently, with Lily stealing glances at Dean every once and a while. She felt painfully shy and awkward around him, and hesitated to speak, trying to choose her words carefully. "So, what are we..uh…what's happening now?"

"Introducing you to someone." Lily balked at this. She didn't realize anyone else lived in the bunker, and anxiety gripped her. Who was this person? Were they nice? What was their role? Would they like her? These thoughts swirled around her in a cloud of worry as they entered the main room with the map table. Standing at the far side with Sam was a short figure in a trench coat. They both turned to face her and she shrank instinctively back towards Dean before suddenly remembering herself. She pulled away, blushing furiously. Dean cracked a half smile above her head where she couldn't see and put a large, warm hand briefly on her back, propelling her forward.

"Lily, this is Castiel. He's our resident…uh-"

"I am an angel of the Lord." His voice was like tumbling pebbles and Lily balked at his extended hand, not sure what to make of his introduction. "I believe the shaking of hands is customary."

"S-Sorry sir. It's nice to meet you" Dean had given her another push and she extended a shaky hand, looking behind the man in the trench coat to Sam, who smiled at her reassuringly. "It's just…you're not really what I thought angels looked like."

"Yea, he gets that a lot." Dean came around to face her. "The rules apply with Cas as well. If Sam and I are gone, what he says goes. Got it?"

Lily nodded, still a little confused, but feeling more comfortable around the strange angel in a trench coat who hadn't released her hand yet.

"Cas," Sam spoke with a barely concealed laugh, "You can let go now."

"Oh. Right." Cas let her hand drop awkwardly and the brothers both laughed. Lily smiled in spite of herself and felt a tentative happiness bubble up in her. _This is what belonging must feel like_ , she thought.

"Ok. Let's go grocery shopping. Do you know how to make pie?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello again darlings! Depending on what happens in tonight's episode, I'll be steering this story back along the general Snow White story line (again, very loosely). I've written chapters 8 and 9 completely, but am just waiting to see what happens in the next episode before I finalize them and continue. Chapter 8 covers "Just My Imagination" briefly, and then at the end of chapter 9 there should be some actual plot development. Chuck smiles down upon those that review! Enjoy! (And thank you as always to RangerHorseTug for the review)_

 **Chapter 7**

Although Lily was painfully shy at first, and stumbled over herself to please the brothers, life at the bunker soon settled into a comfortable routine. Every morning Lily got up early and made breakfast and coffee (and tea but she was the only one who drank it) for everyone. They gang rarely ate together; Cas seemed to eschew food completely, Sam got up early and went for a run, and Dean stumbled in as late as he could manage in his robe and slippers, so she left the food and coffee warming and, while they were eating, she showered and dressed and then returned to the kitchen to clean up. Sam and Dean, when they were around, would do research and errands, or sometimes went out to the nearby bar (Dean more than Sam). Cas spent most of his time watching something called Netflix, and Lily was always more than happy to join him in that luxuriously lazy pursuit whenever she was allowed.

When the boys went out on a case, Cas babysat her, which involved a lot of TV and frequent trips for candy and teddy bears because, "I am informed that is what children like."

Having never had any family who attempted to spoil her in any way, Lily did nothing to correct his idea that she was still five, accepting the gifts willingly and filling her room with them.

When Dean and Sam came back, sometimes wearied (cleaning up after soul-sucked killers), sometimes weirded out (Rabbit-Head ghosts…she almost didn't believe them), they'd ask Cas for a behavior report, which was always glowing. Even so, Lily made sure to always have a pie made just in case. Her plan to get on Dean's good side was in full swing.

Sam had obtained testing materials as soon as things got settled, to figure out where Lily should be, and for weeks Lily had eagerly awaited the results. When they finally came, Lily could barely sit still as Sam tore the seal on the envelope. In reading and writing, she excelled. "See! I told you I taught myself lots of stuff. I snuck off to the library whenever Mother would send me off on a long errand and I would write myself stories for fun."

Sam ruffled her hair but Dean just grunted, "Don't call her that."

"Sorry"

Math and science, however, were a different story, not to mention that she knew next to nothing about history. She was woefully behind. After Sam saw the rest of her test scores, his brow furrowed and he and Dean withdrew to the library.

Lily hung outside the door, trying to eavesdrop.

"…even further behind…"

"…don't have the time for this."

"…failing grades…"

"…kill that witch Rowena."

"Why are you leaning against that door like that?" Castiel's voice sounded like a cannon in the quiet.

"Cas, shh! I'm trying to hear what they're saying. They'll hear you!" Lily whispered but it was too late and a moment later the door swung open and a disgruntled Dean poked his head out.

"Cas, take her to your room and turn the TV on." This put a definitive end on her eavesdropping. She waited with the angel for what seemed like forever before the brothers called for her. They sat her in the same chair where she had been lectured about house rules and Sam crouched down in front of her.

"Dean and I have decided that, based on your scores, for right now you would be better off being homeschooled until you're more caught up to a high school level."

Lily was devastated. She shot to her feet; "But..you said I could go to school."

"I know, Lily, but you're just too far behind right now."

"But I'll study really hard!" she begged, to no avail.

"I'm sorry, Lily. Until your other scores match the high school level, putting you into school right now would be setting you up for failure." Sam rested his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"No it wouldn't, I could do it. Just let me try for a month and I'll show you."

"The decision is final, Lily." It was Dean's voice, and his tone left no room for more argument. Lily felt like crying, but she held it inside and it turned to anger. She yanked away from Sam's hand.

"It's not fair." She muttered, resisting the urge to stamp her foot. She turned to leave in a huff.

"Hey, get back here." Lily ignored Dean, stomping down the hall towards her room. She needed to be alone before she exploded. She had wanted this so badly, to be normal and go to school and maybe make friends, maybe even be able to go to college someday, and now it felt like someone had stepped on her dreams. She kicked a door as she passed, anger radiating out of her.

"Lily." Dean's voice calling her from the other room pulled her out of her reverie, and the quiet warning in it made her pause. "Come here now."

She hesitated, but she was close to blowing up and did not want to be around Sam and Dean when it happened. She had cried enough around them. Besides, Dean probably didn't even want her to go. He was always trying to keep her under lock and key just like Rowena. The thought boiled in her and she spoke without thinking. "No!"

She started off towards her room again, and suddenly heard heavy, angry footfalls rapidly approaching. Lily broke into a run, sliding into her room and slamming her door shut right in Dean's face as he rounded the corner with a thunderous expression. The second after, she regretted it immediately, but she clicked the lock anyway and ignored the pounding on the door.

"Lily, open this door right now. I'm warning you. You are wading into deep shit, sweetheart" Lily crunched herself into a corner on the far side of the bed and the dam burst. She sobbed into her arms at the injustice of it all, and was so wrapped up in her own ball of misery that she didn't hear the pounding and expletives on the other side of the door increase and then stop completely.

"I swear when I get in there…"

"Dean. She's understandably upset."

"She's also acting like a brat and she locked her door."

"Ok but pounding down the door like you're the big bad wolf isn't going to get her to open it." Sam turned from his brother towards the door. "Lily, we need you to unlock the door now. You know better."

Sam's tone was calm and controlled, and Dean rolled his eyes. The door sat, unmoved. Now that Dean had stopped banging, the brothers could hear her sobbing on the other side. Dean sighed and disappeared into his room for a moment, returning with a lock-pick. It only took him a few careful minutes and the door swung in, revealing Lily's slight figure curled up in the corner and her heaving shoulders. The sight of her tiny, heartbroken form took some of the fire out of Dean.

"Lily" Dean's voice was surprisingly kind, and she lifted her head to look up at him through teary lashes. "This is not the end of the world."

"T-t-that's easy for y-y-you to say! Y-y-you don't even w-w-want me to go!" Her vehemence surprised even her and she flinched at the darkness that flooded Dean's eyes at her tone as his anger returned.

"I have half a mind to spank you right now, princess." Dean growled.

"Just because you're upset doesn't mean you can storm off and yell at us," Sam stepped in hastily, "We both only want what's best for you, and I think these past few weeks have proved that, don't you?"

Lily didn't respond, but dropped her head in shame at the gentle rebuke.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, quiet tears trailing down her cheeks. "I just…wanted it so bad. School, real friends…and everything"

"Disappointment is not an excuse to go crazy on me."

"I'm sorry" she repeated, looking at Dean this time. She began crying afresh when she saw his angry gaze. After all her hard work to befriend him she had thrown it all away because she didn't get what she wanted. Sam and Dean exchanged a look over her head and suddenly she was hauled to her feet and set on the bed.

"Lily, I'm going to tutor you. You'll be school ready in no time, ok? I won't let you stay behind; you'll be honor roll material by the time we're done. Deal?" Sam tilted her chin up to look at him. She just nodded, squeezing her eyes shut and pulling away.

"Oh for crying out loud." Dean threw his hands in the air at her continued crying and tuned around to face the wall.

"What's wrong, Lily? Everything is fine." Lily just shook her head, unable to speak, but at Sam's goading she finally replied in short, broken bursts.

"I worked so h-h-hard to get D-D-Dean to like me and n-n-now it's r-r-ruined!" she wailed. Dean turned around, slightly surprised and Sam gave him a pointed look before standing and quietly exiting the room. Dean took his place on the bed and coughed uncomfortably.

"Nothing is ruined, sweetheart." Dean's voice was low and gravelly, but not unpleasant.

"You h-h-hate meee!"

Dean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't hate you. I wouldn't let you sleep two doors down from me if I did. I'm angry because you slammed a door in my face, upset that you ignored and disobeyed me multiple times and disappointed in your overall behavior. But it takes more than that to make me hate you." He put an awkward arm around her shoulders in some semblance of a hug and that was all the encouragement she needed. She flung her arms around his neck, effectively throwing herself into his lap, and cried into his shoulder.

"Please forgive me. Please, I'll be better."

Dean stiffened, unsure, before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her fully onto his lap. "Of course you're forgiven Lily. I forgive you."

He hushed her, rubbing her back and waiting for her shoulders to cease shaking. Her sobs subsided into sniffles and he finally pulled her back to look at him, grasping her chin gently so she was forced to meet his eyes. "This doesn't let you off the hook. You're still in trouble. No more slamming and locking doors ok?"

Lily nodded as earnestly as she could with her chin in his hands.

"And no more disrespect." She nodded again.

"And when I tell you to do something, you drop everything and do it." Another nod. Dean cocked his eyebrow at her and she blushed, knowing what he wanted to hear.

"Yes, sir."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys! This chapter is a tad longer and briefly covers the time period and events of 11x08. Seeing the cliffhanger we were left on in 11x09, I'm going to write in some weeks between episode eight and episode nine so I can get some plot developed and not sacrifice the show's overall storyline. As usual, send me reviews and Chuck will shower blessings upon you, and thank you, Mayremmy for the lovely review. (also as an aside, Wolfie was my imaginary friend when I was little and I still think about him sometimes :] )_

 **Chapter 8**

Unbeknownst to Lily, despite their stern reprimands and promises of things to come, Sam and Dean had no idea how to punish her.

"I don't know, Dean! What did dad used to do?" Dean raised a single eyebrow and Sam shook his head.

"Absolutely not. She's not actually related to us and she's a teenager."

"I wasn't suggesting anything."

"What did they do in school when you acted up?" Dean smirked at Sam's hidden implication, remembering fondly his vagrant high-school days.

"Nothing, I just skipped."

"We could make her write lines or give her detention…"

"I know one thing. I'm taking that damn doorknob."

"She's a teenager, not a wayward five year old, Dean, and she's a girl. She needs her own space."

"Well when she stops acting like a five year old and learns not to slam doors and lock us out, she can have it back." And so, the first stage of her punishment was to have her doorknob swapped out with one that didn't lock, and being grounded from Netflix "until your behavior improves.". She also had to run laps with Sam, despite his mutterings that this was not a sport's team

On top of that, Lily's schoolwork began full force, and Sam laid on extra right off the bat, justifying it with; "You want to go to school don't you? You earned the extra work with your bad behavior, and it will only help you get in faster."

Not that Lily minded that much. After the school fit she threw, she was tripping over herself to please the brothers. She baked every day, anything they needed during research she would try to get, although Dean seemed wary of letting her touch the monster and magic books, and she would watch their drinks like a hawk and scurry off to have another cold one in their hand as they took the last sip of their beers. She even got up extra early to bring Sam and Dean their coffee and breakfast in bed, the way they each took it, but Dean put an end to that after the rainbow man showed up.

The morning the rainbow man arrived, Lily wandered into the kitchen, and switched the lights on as usual, but was greeted with a very unusual sight. There was the largest assortment of candy and cakes she had ever laid eyes on in every color imaginable spread out on the kitchen table. She was inexorably drawn to it and stared down at the feast in awe. After so many years without sugar, she had developed quite the sweet-tooth, helped along by Castiel's childish gifts and Dean's similar taste in food. She finally couldn't help herself and reached down to touch the food, when there was suddenly a stinging pain in her hand, as if she had been slapped. She tried again with the same result. As she went to try a third time, suddenly a short man with a large belly framed by rainbow suspenders materialized in front of her.

"No no don't scream! My name is Sully. I'm a friend of Sam's. What's your name?" Lily couldn't respond because the man's soft hand was clapped over her mouth and she simply regarded the rainbow man with wide eyes. "If I take my hand away, will you be quiet?"

Lily nodded and Sully released her. He crouched down to her eye level and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

Lily nodded again, still a little apprehensive but immediately liking everything about this Sully character.

"I'm Sam's bestest friend from when he was little, and I want to surprise him, like a reunion." Lily broke into a smile. Sam didn't eat candy, but surely he would be happy to see Sully after all this time.

"He should be awake soon" she whispered back.

"Awesome! You are the best…?"

"Lily" she answered, blushing.

"No, it can't be. Not Lily! Do you remember Wolfie?"

Lily stopped stock still. How did this strange man know about her imaginary friend? Wolfie the Good Wolf had been her protector and confidant when she was first in Rowena's care. He had to leave because Mother had caught her talking to herself one time too many and the beatings were too much. "How..How do you know about him?"

Sully didn't get to answer because Sam's alarm echoed in the hallway. Sully looked back at her, "Shut off the lights!"

And then he disappeared.

Lily ran to the switch and shut it, before running off to hide behind the other doorway. Soon after, Sam came stumbling into the kitchen, a little disoriented since Lily often brought him coffee in bed. Lily peeked around the doorjamb of the kitchen, watching as he turned on the light, saw the table, and took in its contents with the same mystified expression she had. But then he spun and punched the air, shouting. Lily frowned. She couldn't see Sully, but he had appeared in front of her so she assumed he could show himself as he pleased; that wasn't what was confusing her. Sully had said he and Sam were best friends, but Sam seemed not to remember him at all. She poked her head out farther, and watched Dean enter sleepily, still in his robe and slippers. Lily winced. Sully had distracted her and she hadn't made either of them breakfast or coffee. Dean was not a morning person, and she wanted to warn Sully not to engage until he had eaten and woken up a bit more but it was too late. Suddenly Sully was standing there in all his rainbow-brite glory.

"I'm gonna go get my gun."

Lily's eyes widened. Dean wouldn't really shoot him would he? Sully had been so nice, and promised Lily that she could have some candy after he had talked to Sam. She almost darted from her hiding place to save him, but thought better of it. Dean was still there, albeit looking grumpier and grumpier.

"You. Me. Library. Now." Lily knew that tone, and turned to leave the scene of her eavesdropping crime before she got caught when Sam ran smack into her, knocking her on her butt.

"Um..good morning?" Lily smiled sheepishly up at Sam, who just shook his head and pinched his nose. Dean rounded the corner soon after with an angry scowl that only deepened when he took in Lily looking incredibly guilty on the floor.

"Both of you. Let's go."

Dean marched them both to the entrance of the library, but paused before entering and started in on Lily first, his expression thunderous and his tone brooking no leeway. "What were you doing."

"Um..I always get up to make your coffee?"

"Don't play cute with me princess. I mean hovering in the doorway."

"I…uh…wanted to see Sully surprise Sam."

Sam turned to her, incredulous. "How do you know his name?"

Lily felt herself getting into deep water and tread carefully. "I met him. When I went in to make coffee I saw the candy and…well.." she glanced sidelong at Sam, "..I thought it was from Cas so I went to have some and then he..appeared."

"So you're telling me Happy the Dwarf pops up in front of you and… and your first thought isn't to run and get me or Sam, it's to stay and have a conversation?" Dean was livid. Lily avoided eye contact, trying to salvage the situation.

"He said he was Sam's best friend! I didn't want to ruin the surprise."

"Dean in her defense-"

"I'll get to YOU in a minute. Lily, you are in the DEEPEST shit right now, but I need to have a private conversation with Sam. Go straight to your room and so help me if I don't find you there when I am done…" Lily got the point and scurried, shame-faced, out of the room.

She took a detour in the kitchen to make coffee and to look for Sully.

"Hey there Lily!"

"Uh, hi. Sorry about Sam and Dean. He…uh Dean is just…grumpy in the mornings."

"Oh, that's ok!"

Lily couldn't think of anything else to say and so set about making a quick scrambled egg and bacon breakfast with toast, making a green smoothie for Sam, and a pot of coffee. She lay everything out on the table and took one backwards glance at Sully before she ran to her room.

She got to her door at the same time Dean did. This was not turning out to be her day. Dean was dressed, but his mood had not improved and he glared down at her as she ran up. She didn't give him a chance to start. Seeing the scolding forming behind his stormy eyes she breathlessly blurted out. "Please don't be mad at me Dean I was making breakfast and coffee…to say sorry for not telling you about Sully."

Dean came up short a bit when she spoke, and some of the anger in his face softened, but he still addressed her sternly. "I thought I told you to go straight to your room."

"Yea but-"

"But nothing. When we let you stay here we agreed you would listen to us no questions asked. What if Sully was a monster? What if he was someone who wanted to kill Sam?"

"But he wasn't" Lily protested.

"You had no way of knowing that!" Dean's frustration got the better of him and he stopped himself. "You went back to the kitchen when I told you not to. Went back alone to a room with a strange creature in it. Ever think that Sully could have hurt you? He didn't this time but what about next time?"

Lily felt tears rise unbidden. She knew he was right. Sully was a stranger and could have hurt her or killed Sam or worse. "I was just trying to…make you happy. I'm sorry"

"I know you were Lily and you aren't going to be punished. But I want you to remember this. Everything I ask you to do is for a reason, ok?" Lily nodded, head hung. Dean tilted her chin up and swiped at a stray tear with his thumb, giving her a small, half-grin, which was the closest she ever saw him come to a smile, before continuing.

"Sam and I are heading out unexpectedly. Cas is gonna watch you. Get your schoolwork done and clean the kitchen. No Netflix…you're still in trouble for before. Got it?"

Lily's heart fell when she heard they were leaving but she nodded again. "Yes sir."

Dean turned and left, too quick to hear Lily's quiet, whispered parting comment; "Do you forgive me?"

The next few days were exceedingly boring, but she was on her best behavior, determined to make it up to Dean. She resolved to be the best behaved…whatever she was…that they had ever seen. She didn't even sneak TV.

The boys were back a few days later, looking worse for the wear. "How was she Cas?"

"Fully satisfactory."

"That's my girl." Dean ruffled her hair tiredly as he passed, dropping his bags in the war room. Sam followed suite, patting her head silently and dropping his bags, before they both stumbled, exhausted, into their respective rooms. Cas muttered something about prison girls and wandered off as well.

Lily was left standing alone in the great room. Her heart felt empty. She tried to tell herself that the boys were tired, but it wasn't enough to stave off the wave of loneliness that came crashing over her.

She wandered around the bunker, trying to find a way to occupy herself when an idea struck. She would clean Dean's car! She had recently learned the midnight beast of a thing Dean drove around was named Baby, and was very much a unique member of the family. She would surprise him when he got up and everything would be better and they could maybe even go out for dinner, as a family. Her imagination took off and filled her with hope. She rarely left the bunker and her interactions with the brothers, while pleasant, were not numerous. Dean only seemed to talk to her at all when she was in trouble or to give her instructions. Her plan would change all that. After all, what could go wrong?


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is a day late, My sister got married on Sunday and I was the maid of honor so I was running around like crazy yesterday trying to get everything squared away. So, few things about what to expect next. This is my last complete and proofread chapter. I am in the process of writing 10 today, but I've deleted what I had because I'm struggling with where I'm taking this story next, so I might not have it out (in the way I want it) by tomorrow afternoon. I write when I'm at work (I'm an English Teacher) and if I have a crazy day, that affects how much I can write. My process involves an initial write, a read-through and rewrite, and then a final read-through, so that also takes time. As of right now, Chapter 10 only has about 700 words. So please be patient with me! As always, please review! I love to read them! And Mayremmy, RangerHorseTug, ? thank you for your reviews! Chuck is sending you peace and love._

 **Chapter 9**

The plan was perfect. Sam and Dean were both deeply occupied with naps and would be for some time, which left her free to sneak into the garage. Lily had never actually seen the garage. Sam pointed the entrance out to her on her first free day with an admonition to stay out, but she was not prepared for what greeted her when she opened the door, and she stood in awe for a moment. It was a huge space, filled with the most amazing cars she had ever seen. She walked slowly around, hardly daring to touch the cars, which were probably worth more than her. And there, in the middle of it all was the black behemoth herself.

Lily approached reverently, circling the car slowly before touching it at all. She found some rags, soap and a hose and attempted to set to work. Lily had lots of experience cleaning anything and everything, but not a lot of experience with cars. She made sure the windows were up, and sprayed the car, laying on a layer of water. Then, she gingerly applied the soap and started scrubbing with the rags. The car was significantly bigger than her, so she had to lean into the wet soapy water to scrub the hard-to-reach places, and was soon soaked to the bone.

She was humming to herself, something she had heard Dean play in his room sometimes, when two hands grabbed her shoulders, spun her around, and pressed her hard against the car.

"What. Are you. Doing." It was Dean. He had clearly just woken up, his hair was askew and his eyes were still sleepy, but behind that sleepiness was a crazed look.

"I was…I'm cleaning your car."

Dean opened his mouth, shut it, and then opened it again, spluttering out incomprehensible grumblings. "You…there is…this is…big trouble…go stand in the corner and…and think about your choices young…just go."

He marched Lily over to a far corner of the garage and pointed her, nose-first, towards the wall. "But…I was just-"

"No."

. "Dean! I..uh…Cas needs you for something quick." Sam suddenly came running out waving his arms.

"For what?" Dean sounded downright grumpy, but Sam's distraction was enough to turn his attention away from Lily, allowing her to turn her body around from where Dean had pressed it into the corner. She looked over his shoulder at Sam, who kept shooting her meaningful glances she didn't understand in between sentences to Dean. Finally, Sam, exasperated by her confusion, jerked his head towards the door and mouthed "Go!".

That was all the encouragement she needed, knowing a near miss when she saw one. She snuck around the far side of the car, quickly tiptoeing to the door and out before Dean could see her and call her back for a scolding.

"…and he said that uh… Crowley has…"

"Has what. Hello? Wake up Sammy." Dean snapped his fingers in Sam's face

"Nothing, nevermind." Sam, seeing Lily escape, turned to leave.

"Woah Woah. What was that about?" Sam grunted a non-commital reply and a realization started to dawn on Dean.

"You were covering for the kid, weren't you?" Sam shrugged. "What the hell, Sammy, I thought we were supposed to be a united front on this!"

At this, Sam rounded on Dean. "Yes, a united front Dean. But you go off on the poor thing every two seconds-

"She was touching my car."

"-and don't ever give her a chance. And she was _cleaning_ your car!"

"Which involves touching. She was touching Baby."

"She was trying to help! How can you not see how badly she wants to please you? If she bends over backward any more she'll break her back." Sam threw his hands in the air in exasperation and Dean folded his arms, a frown creasing his sculpted brow.

"We don't know if we can trust-"

"No Dean," Sam was worked up now, "It's not about trust anymore. It's about you not letting her in. And she's suffering because of your hard-headedness. You know, you used to care about the kids we came into contact with."

Dean turned away from Sam but he didn't let up; "Why is it so hard for you to just give her a chance?"

"BECAUSE!" Dean exploded, suddenly rounding on him and Sam pulled up short.

"Because I can't do it anymore Sammy. I can't-" his voice cracked, "I can't keep letting them in. Jo. Charlie. I can't take it. I can't….I can't lose anyone else."

A tear escaped Dean's eye and rolled unchecked down his cheek. He was staring hard at the far wall, turned away from Sam, who stood in shock, heart aching for his brother.

"Dean," Sam laid a hand on his brother's shoulder; "Jo and Charlie weren't you fault, but if you keep pushing Lily away, she will be."

Dean pulled out of his brother's grasp and picked up a mitt to finish what Lily started. He began to wipe down the car methodically and it was clear the conversation was over. Sam sighed and went to leave. "Just…go talk to her, will you?"

And with that he went to find Lily, leaving Dean alone with his anguish.

Lily had gone to take a shower and have a long think about things, and when she got out, Sam was waiting for her by the door.

"We need to talk;" his face was serious. Lily sat down on the bed apprehensively.

"Ok, What's up?"

"It's about the car."

"I was only cleaning it." Lily said glumly, shoulders slumped

"I know and…we didn't tell you specifically so it's not your fault. It's just…Dean's a little weird about the car. He never even lets me drive it."

"Oh…I was just trying to help."

Seeing Lily's downcast countenance, Sam sat down next to her on the bed. "He's just grumpy and has a sixth sense for that car. He's gets a bit…crazy about it. But that was very sweet of you."

"Thanks for saving me"

Sam tossed his head back and laughed. "Yeah, don't get used to it kid."

He reached over and gave her a quick hug before getting up and leaving. Lily didn't say anything. Sam's reassurances and explanations hadn't made her feel any better. She wasn't getting anywhere with Dean. Every time it seemed like he was starting to like her, it all got ruined and he was back to being perpetually angry with her. She took a moment to gather her courage, and then got up and made her way to Dean's room. She knew she was reentering the lion's den, and walking straight back into the likely punishment Sam had saved her from, but she had to do this. Lily raised her hand to knock, but hesitated, suddenly nervous. At that moment, Dean swung the door open to find her standing there, hand raised. Lily jumped, startled, but recovered quickly. She started talking immediately, knowing she would lose her nerve if she waited to hear him speak.

"Dean I just- Sorry, I mean sir…I just want to apologize I guess…and also thank you. I really am sorry about not going to my room…before I mean. With the kitchen. And with your car….I just wanted to surprise you…to make you feel better." She reached up subconsciously and traced a new cut that had appeared along Dean's throat when he returned from the job, but didn't raise her eyes past his neck.

"I'll never touch her again I promise…Baby I mean. And I..I'm so so sorry about freaking out about school. I know you guys want what's best for….and well I was terrible and ungrateful and I never meant...I really am grateful. You've been…I had always dreamed about someone taking me away from Mothe- Rowena, I mean…sorry…and you and Sam…I never even dreamed anything this wonderful. I don't…I'll never be able to repay this I know...I have nothing to give. And I'm just sorry….sorry for being such a…a fuck up!" She used one of her newly acquired swear words that sounded as harsh and broken and imperfect as she felt and bit back the sob that threatened to rise in her as she finished.

"I don't want to be a burden…I'll leave if that's what you want. Just, please forgive me… for everything," she finished in a whisper, suddenly shy, and stared hard at the center of Dean's chest, trying to get herself under control.

Dean stood impassively as she spoke, allowing her to get it all out without comment. When she finally fell silent, they stood facing each other for a moment, Lily awkwardly shifting her weight from foot to foot and fighting the boulder lodged in her throat and Dean fighting an inner battle.

And then suddenly she was crushed against Dean's rock-hard chest. He wrapped her in a bear hug so big she practically disappeared in his arms.

"Oh, Lily" he murmured into her hair. "You give us so much."

He rocked her slightly, holding her for a long time and she clung to him, burying her face into the soft flannel of his shirt. Finally, he gently released her just enough to look her in the eyes. "You were already forgiven, sweetheart. And you are NOT – no look at me - not a fuck up. I don't ever want to hear you say that again, ok?"

Lily nodded, tears glittering in her eyes and Dean pulled her in for another hug before continuing.

" _I'm_ sorry," he said gruffly, "for being so harsh. It wasn't fair to you. I know you're still learning the ropes. Sam and I are figuring all this out for the first time too."

Dean gently stroked her hair as he spoke, cradling her head to his chest. "We don't want you to leave."

He kissed the top of her head before releasing her, pausing to wipe her tears with a calloused finger. "How about we go out to eat? Sound good?"

Lily's heather eyes lit up and she nodded, smiling.

"All right. Jump on, let's rouse the troops." Lily climbed onto Dean's proffered back and they ran down the halls calling "The dinner train is leaving" and pounding on Sam and Castiel's doors.

Sam raised an eyebrow at Dean and Lily, but laughed and joined in the merriment, with Cas trailing behind and inquiring; "But I don't understand, there is a locomotive that brings dinner?"

All of a sudden, as they entered the war room, Sam, who was leading the pack, came up short. Dean arrived next to him and slid Lily from his back.

"Well. If it isn't Grumpy, Dopey, and Bashful. Just the three dwarves I wanted to see." The man speaking was short and dressed head-to-toe in black. His dark eyes were shrewd and scanned over the party before resting on her. "And someone new. What's your name, love?"

Lily didn't answer, suddenly frightened by the dark man's accent, which was so eerily similar to Rowena's. She looked up at Dean instead, who leaned down and said to her quietly "Lily go to your room, close the door and do no leave until we come get you."

He then turned his attention to the man in black; "She's not your problem. What do you want Crowley."

But Crowley's eyes were riveted only on Lily, who hesitated at the exit when she heard her name. "Lily. Now that is interesting."

He began to pace slowly, voice worryingly cheerful. "You know boys, you and I are a lot alike. Your mother left you when you were babes, Mother left me when I was eight. Guess some people are just not cut out for parenting.

Dean growled and took a step forward. "Our mother died, Crowley. And I- we are nothing like you."

"How is this relevant?" Sam sounded more pissed off than Lily had ever heard him, and she suddenly hated this new person with his accent and his swagger so like Rowena's. Crowley continued, ignoring the brothers' responses, still slowly making his circle around the brothers.

"Mother could never be bothered to even keep a houseplant alive. Imagine my surprise then, to find out after all these years, two hundred and ninety seven in case anyone was counting…" his voice rose dangerously "…she has acquired a PET."

At this, he yanked Lily from her spot in the shadows. His grip on her forearm was like a vice and no matter how hard she struggled she couldn't get away. Dean's viridian gaze was like a knife and she couldn't tell if it was for rude man in black or for her, but at the moment felt very much between a rock and a hard place. Crowley leaned down and his sulfur breath wafted into her face.

"Hello, baby sister."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hello my wonderful, patient lovelies! So life has been crazy and I haven't updated in forever, I know Please don't hate me. There are a multitude of perfectly acceptable excuses. I am currently finishing up my Master's degree and this week is my last week of classes, which means massive papers of doom galore on top of planning and grading for four completely different classes and grade levels. On top of that, some major stuff has been happening in my personal life that needed to be dealt with and this story kind of fell on the backburner. I actually only finished this because I am procrastinating….don't tell Sam and Dean. As for the future of this story, I do plan on finishing it, but the last episode I saw was the one that got Sam stuck in the cage so, suffice it to say I am super behind and therefore cannot really continue until I have caught up on SPN, which will not happen until I get through hell week. But hopefully this will hold everyone over until I can start writing fairly regularly again. Thank you to all the amazing people who still reviewed even after I went AWOL…hope you all enjoy! (as an aside…Lily sure does cry a lot, doesn't she…jeez. But I would too in most of these situations)_

 **Chapter 10**

"Hello, baby sister."

At Crowley's words, Lily's whole world stopped. Everything narrowed to a pinprick and she felt her knees begin to buckle. He was going to take her back to Rowena. Her worst fear realized; the nightmare that woke her up, gasping in the middle of the night. It was happening. She swooned in his grasp, suddenly dizzy and unable to stand. All she could think was; _I can't go back, please don't make me go back. This can't be happening._

Occupied as she was with passing out, Lily missed Dean and Sam's synchronized step forward when Crowley grabbed her. She missed Sam's hoarse shout and Cas's attempt to use his angel juice that resulted in him collapsed with a migraine. She missed Dean's dangerously calm growl and flashing eyes. "Crowley, so help me…let her go."

"Calm down, boys. I just wanted a little family reunion." He held on to her, adjusting his hold so her limp form rested comfortable against his shoulder. He patted her cheek lightly with his hand. "Come on, love. Wakey wakey."

Lily shivered at his cold hand on her cheek and her eyes slowly fluttered open, taking in the nightmare unfolding around her. Dazed, she heard the brothers talking to Crowley from far away

"…a proposition for you"

"Why would we…"

"I'm gonna kill you."

"…tried that before, didn't we Sam"

"…and if Rowena follows…"

At the sound of her erstwhile mother's name, all at once everything rushed into perfect focus and she began to fight the dark, smelly man's hold on her like a cat. She didn't realize she was screaming right away, but heard her voice distantly, as if it was echoing back at her.

"I'm not going back to her! I hate Mother I hate her I hate her! I'm not going back you can't make me!"

She pounded her fists and heels into any part of Rowena's son – for there was no one else this horrid man could be – she could reach.

"Hang on a minute!" Crowley struggled to subdue her, to no avail. "Hold still! You little- calm down."

Lily clawed at his eyes, ignoring him; "I'm not going, I'm not going!"

"STOP! I hate her too, you stupid girl!" At his roar of anger and following confession, Lily paused her attack, shocked.

"You do?" her voice came out trembling and hoarse from exertion.

"Of course I hate the redheaded bitch! Why do you think I'm here nitwit?" Crowley threw her back at the brothers in disgust and Dean caught her as she fell. She clung to him, crying, and he pressed a secret kiss to her temple before passing her to Cas.

"Take her to her ro-"

"No please, I'd like to stay." Lily's shaky voice surprised them. Dean started to say no, but stopped himself when he felt how hard she was holding on to him, and saw her tear-filled eyes gazing unwaveringly across the room at Crowley.

Dean and Sam exchanged a look, but they grudgingly obliged, pulling Lily protectively between the two of them. Dean was still coiled tight with rage, so Sam spoke first.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself Crowley." He let the threat hang unspoken at the end of his sentence.

"Lighten up, Moose. I just came to meet the family and see what the big deal was myself. My mother has slipped her tail. She was working on raising a coven, and rumor has it you have something she wants." Crowley spoke to Dean, disregarding Sam and Cas, and Lily for that matter, entirely, but his eyes slipped to her briefly as he continued. "More than one thing, actually. I was just popping in to give you boys a friendly heads up, and suggest a little baiting of the hook."

He looked meaningfully at Lily.

"Absolutely not, Crowley." Dean spoke, voice low. "Not her."

"Yea, never gonna happen."

"Well, I'll let you sleep on it. But, if the little lamb is worth anything to you, you'd at least consider it. Because Rowena will come whether or not you are prepared. For the codebreaker and for _her_ ," Crowley jerked his head in Lily's direction, "just a little advice, free of charge. Always, a pleasure boys, goodbye Lily"

And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

Lily sagged into Dean, the second Crowley disappeared, letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding, and was caught in a two-way hug between the brothers. Dean shouted at her even as he hugged her tighter. "What were you thinking? I told you to go to your room! If he- if something happened-"

Lily couldn't respond. Dean's scolding was drowned out by the ringing in her ears. She felt numb and disconnected from what had just happened. She kept trying to focus on what Crowley had said at the end, but her thoughts were scattered and piecemeal and all she could think was that everything had finally started to go well and stupid Crowley had ruined everything. She-

"Dean! Catch her!"

Her vision narrowed as the stress of everything got to her and she crumpled into Dean's arms for the second time in the space of ten minutes. If she wasn't so lost in a sea of confusion and fear, she would have the sense to be embarrassed.

"—get her some water she's in shock"

"Come on, Lily…stay with us"

"She's light as a feather, Sam"

Lily forced herself to open her eyes and face the three pairs of concerned ones that were all turned on her.

"I'm sorry" she managed to mumble, gratefully sipping the water Cas proffered. She was not standing on her own, her entire weight supported by Dean's strong arms, and, after she returned the glass of water, he lowered her to the floor, sitting with her so she was pulled into his lap, head lolled back on his should and wrapped in a firm hug. Sam and Cas sat on the floor opposite, and the thought occurred to her that they presented a comical picture, all sitting in a circle on the floor, before it was interrupted by Sam's concerned voice.

"Lily, when was the last time you ate?" Dean tightened his grip a little when she stiffened at the question. "In general, what do you normally eat?"

"What? I dunno…whatever" She stuttered, confused by the extremely mundane topic change after what had just happened.

Dean's voice sounded from behind her, and she could feel it rumble through his chest as he spoke; "Thanks for being specific."

"Lily, why don't you run through what you normally eat for each meal," Sam said, after sharing a glance with his brother above her head.

"Umm…for breakfast I usually have tea. For lunch, I have candy or nothing, depending on whether Cas is watching me or not-" Dean and Sam shot an angry glare at Castiel that Lily missed; "—and for dinner I have whatever you guys have if your home….or nothing. Why?"

Sam sighed, exasperated. "Well for one thing it's a factor in your recent fainting spells."

"Let's go get some food," Dean announced. Everyone seemed eager to get out of the bunker, and Lily was immediately ecstatic. They were going to go out! All together! Her fear forgotten for the moment, she bounced up from Dean's lap with a smile, staggering a little as black dots flooded her vision because of her sudden movement. Dean steadied her and scolded her again, but his heart wasn't in it and the four of them headed out to the Impala.

At the diner, Sam and Dean ordered Lily a feast. A feast of healthy food that is, per Sam's instructions, and even though Dean chowed down on a burger and a beer, he was unwavering in her plea for french fries. She sat in front of a spinach salad, a bowl of fruit, some grilled chicken, and a bowl of oatmeal, with a glass of water _and_ orange juice on the side. As she tucked in, Sam began his lecture. "Lily, you have to eat three meals a day, with fruit and vegetables and protein. And no, gummy bears do not count as a fruit. You will no longer be allowed to eat candy or cookies unless you have permission and always _after_ your real food, not before or in place of. You can still have your tea with a little honey, but no milk or sugar, and you also need to have six servings of water a day, so I'm going to buy you a big water bottle that you can carry around with you. Any questions?"

Lily balked at these new rules and looked to Dean for support, but his head, wisely, was down and he was paying attention to the double bacon burger in front of him. Castiel did not have the tact to act nonchalant and simply stared very hard at the tines of his unused fork. "But…but…Dean doesn't eat like that! Why do I have to?"

She knew she was pouting, but couldn't help it. She had gone for so long without all the best junk foods, it was all she wanted to eat now.

"Hey, do as I say, not as I do princess," Dean said around massive bites of his burger. Sam shot him an annoyed glance. Dean swallowed and continued; "The point is, we are adults and make decisions for ourselves that we think are best. Sam chooses to eat rabbit food and sweat like a pig five days a week, I choose to eat burgers, drink beer, and most likely die young. It's how I was raised and I'm stickin' to it. But, you're just a kid and you're our responsibility. You've been mistreated and malnourished for most of your life and as your…caretakers…it's our job to make decisions for you that are in your best interest. And at the beginning of our little arrangement you agreed to do what we told you to, and we agreed to take care of you. Sam's new diet plan is final; I don't want to hear any more arguments about it."

Dean's final tone made the conversation lull and they ate in silence for a while, Lily picking at her food a bit, but eating after a glare from both brothers. Finally, she broke the silence. "This is all a distraction isn't it. Because you don't want to talk about Crowley with me."

Sam and Dean shared a look, one of the many in their repertoire of silent communication, before Sam spoke, his tone taking on the forced even-ness he always affected when trying to keep a situation calm. "What do you want to ask?"

Lily wasn't expecting that, and it took her a moment to recoup and find something to say. She started slow, not sure where to begin, and Sam and Dean took turns answering questions as best they could, with Cas chiming in occasionally.

"How did Crowley find us?"

"We've...we have a long history. He's been to the bunker. He's helped us before."

"Is he an angel too?"

"Absolutely not…he is the most—"

"Cas means no. He's a demon."

"Rowena's son is a demon?!"

"Yep, they're both hundreds of years old."

"You worked with a demon?"

"It's a long story."

"Is he gonna hurt me?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"I know."

"Is he gonna tell Rowena about me?"

"We don't think so."

"Is Rowena gonna find me?"

"No."

"What did he mean, use me as bait?" Here the conversation stuttered, as neither of the brothers wanted to answer the question. Finally, Dean spoke.

"It doesn't matter because it's not going to happen."

"What did he mean." Lily insisted and Sam spoke despite Dean's shake of the head.

"He knows Rowena is looking for you. In her eyes, you're a loose end and she is probably worried about us finding you and getting information out of you, if she doesn't already know we have you. Crowley wants to put you in plain sight, in order to draw her out and catch her and bring her back to hell."

Lily chewed on this information quietly for a moment. "I'll do it"

"All right, time to go." Dean threw a wad of bills on the table and dragged Lily out of the booth behind him.

"W-wait!" she spluttered.

"Not happening. End of discussion. Get in the car."

But Lily persisted as they were driving back. "Why not? I want to help! I don't want to be afraid of her anymore!"

Dean said nothing as she continued to badger, but his grip on the steering wheel became white-knuckled until finally he swerved abruptly to the side of the road and got out, slamming the door behind him and rounding on the passenger side. Lily let out a shriek and shrunk back from the door toward Cas as soon as his purpose became clear, but his arms were long and he grabbed her ankle and yanked her towards him and out of the car. Once he had her out, he pushed her up against the frame of the Impala roughly, his hands gripping her arms tightly. Sam and Cas had both gotten out at this point, but Dean ignored them and shook off Sam's hand on his arm, focusing all of his attention on Lily's cringing form.

"Listen to me very carefully. You are not going to be involved in any aspect of hunting. Ever." He punctuated his sentences by pushing her shoulders back into the car. "That is final. Using you as bait for Rowena is completely out of the question. I saw what it was like for you when you lived with her. You are never going back there, you will never see her again, not even for something like this. You are going to have as normal a life as we can give you, so help me, and if you keep arguing against your own health and safety, and whining and pouting like a child, I will turn you over my knee like my daddy did to me and put the fear of God in you. Are. There. Any. Questions."

Lily couldn't find the words to respond through the sobs that shook her small frame. She tried to choke out an apology, but even that all too familiar phrase would not articulate itself. Dean's hands on her arms prevented her from burying her face – and tears - in her hands and so she openly wept, dropping her head so the tears slid from her cheeks to splash onto the pavement. Dean suddenly pulled her into his arms, crushing her face against his chest with a large hand and kissing her forehead.

"I can't lose you" he said softly into her hair, before placing another kiss there. Lily succumbed to the enveloping warmth, staining Dean's t-shirt with her wet cheeks and clutching tiny fistfuls of the soft material as she buried herself in the bear-hug

She finally found her voice and whispered her apology over and over into Dean's chest, while he murmured soothing words to her, calming her down enough to pull her back and look in her eyes. "No more nagging, ok? You need to trust that Sam and I will do what's best for you."

Lily nodded meekly with red-rimmed eyes and whispered for what felt like the thousandth time in her short tenure with the Winchesters; "Yes sir. I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven," he replied, punctuating his words with another hug.

"…Dean?" Lily's voice was timid, "What are we…you… gonna do about Rowena?"

Dean's eyes turned black with unconcealed hate and rage as he answered, staring into the Kansas distance; "I'm gonna find that she-witch and give her hell."


End file.
